Page 94 of Demon's Angel

“And them?” He points to a dead Italian.

“Got six dead, eight alive. Some injured, but not fatally. They’re down in the basement.” I grin at Drummer. “Far as they know the place is burning down, with them trapped in it.”

His sharp eyes meet mine. Then he gives a wicked grin. “They came here to kill everyone in the compound, women and the kid. Think a bit of mental torture is apt punishment.” He pauses and looks around. “I’ll get Viper up here to assess structural damage, and whether you need major work.”

He has a whole construction company back in Tucson. We’re not total strangers at a bit of DIY, but don’t want to patch something up if it’s in danger of falling down. “Thanks for the offer, Drum, a bit of advice would come in handy.” I step closer to the hole in the wall; now the fire’s out I can get nearer to it, warily eyeing the ceiling above my head.

“What you going to do with the dead Mafia crew you have lying around?” His mouth twists in distaste as he sees the bodies we’ve pulled inside, out of view of the street, piled up like cordwood.

My lips curve up. “Thought we’d get Lucio to collect them. He’ll want to know who was involved in this, anyway, seeing he doesn’t want to start a fight with the Devils.”

Drummer laughs and slaps my back. “Fuck, I’ve no idea if the dominant would have come in on our side. Taking over the drug trade may have attracted them. But the threat of the Wretched Soulz having our backs worked, didn’t it?”

“Like a fucking charm.” My eyes convey how grateful I am. I don’t have the clout of the mother chapter president. The same words out of my mouth wouldn’t have carried so much weight.

I stand for a moment watching my men, and those here from the other chapters, getting to work. They’re not waiting for instruction but assessing what needs to be done and getting on with it themselves.

“Hey, Prez. Just going out to get some boarding and sheetrock.”

I raise my hand toward Bomber and Rusty acknowledging their self-imposed task. Wills and Dan are sweeping up the debris that had been blown inside, Skull is taking charge of a broom himself. Paladin seems to be sorting out bricks that can be reused, and Thunder and Mace are knocking out the remaining glass in the shattered windows. Slowly some order is being restored, the clubhouse looking less like a war zone.

A couple of Drummer’s men, Rock and Beef are carrying burned tables and chairs outside to pile in a heap. And there’s Twister and Indian from Vegas, carrying the couch that really has seen better days. Well, out of disaster rises opportunity. It was past time the clubhouse had new furniture, and it could do with a lick of paint. Only problem is, we obviously don’t carry insurance. I continue cataloguing the losses as I slowly turn around.Well fuck me, and dammit. The jukebox obviously took the full force of the explosive thrown in. That had been a relic from the old days and will be missed.

“This going to hit our plans for the tattoo parlour, Prez?” Liz pops up from behind the bar and asks as he walks past, emptying a dustpan full of broken glass into a garbage bin.

“Have to speak to Buzzard, Liz. Once we can estimate the cost.”

“Got any full bottles behind there?” Not that I want a drink now, but I’m not taking the chance on the bar running dry tonight. After the day we’ve had, everyone will want to get their throats wet.

“Surprisingly, yes.” He grins. “Made fucking sure the flames were kept well away.”

Ink chuckles beside us. “First thing Liz did was grab an extinguisher and stand guarding the spirits. Wanted to make sure he’d be able to get his whisky when the excitement had died down.”

Probably just as well. Wouldn’t have wanted the amount of alcohol we keep here adding fuel to the flames.

Having checked on everyone, I find a quieter corner and place a phone call. “Lucio, it’s Demon.”

“I am glad to hear your voice.”

“Angel tell you what he had planned?”

Lucio’s voice sounds weary. “Indeed. I presume, as you’re alive, I’ve got dead men.”

“Seven, yes. Six still breathing. They are yours if you want to collect.”

A moment of silence. “I would appreciate dealing with them, Demon. And I’ll take the dead bodies off your hands. No one would want to risk them being discovered.”

I bristle slightly at the implied inference of us being unable to deal with a dead body, but him taking them means less work for my men. At the moment I’d rather they wielded hammers rather than shovels.

“Angel?”

“I’ll bring him when I come to collect. I’ll be there tomorrow.”

I end the call, realising he hasn’t confirmed whether Angel will be delivered alive or dead. I find I’m not too bothered either way as long as the threat has been removed. Revenge, it seems, isn’t as important as Vi and Theo being alive, and safe.

“It’ll be okay.” Thunder’s hand lands on my shoulder when I emerge from my corner. “We’ll come back better than before. Now why don’t you go to Mo’s and check up on your wife and kid? Not much you can do here. Unless you got bricklaying skills I don’t know about?”

I haven’t. But I still can’t walk out on my men. I tell him that.

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